


Distant

by lorir_writes



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Multi, Power Imbalance, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:03:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29645493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lorir_writes/pseuds/lorir_writes
Summary: Revelations will get in the way of Evelyn’s plans to have a quiet night by herself.
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey & Main Character, Rafael Aveiro/Main Character (Open Heart)
Kudos: 2





	Distant

**Author's Note:**

> Submission to Tumblr CFWC Silly Love Stories: Day 8 - Unrequited Love

Evelyn steps out of a patient’s apartment, rolls her shoulders back and glances at her watch. End of the shift at last. She sighs in relief and smiles. After finishing her last twenty hours of work of the week, she’s ready to go home and enjoy the next three days off. Walking straight to the nursing station, she checks some of her patients’ medical records and writes down details about the treatment progress when a tall figure stands beside her.

“Dr. Bennington,” her boss calls.

“Dr. Ramsey.” She looks at him, nods politely then gives the medical records back to the nurse. “Thank you, Marlene. See you on Monday.”

“Enjoy your prolonged weekend, Eve.” The nurse smiles.

“Prolonged weekend?” He asks, cocking an eyebrow. “Are you planning on giving yourself an extra day off, doctor?”

“No. I simply finished my eighty hours of work. I told you I was going to work twenty hours a day this week and you said ‘as long as you finish your eighty hours per week, I don’t care if you work twenty four seven, doctor.’”

He nods with his lips pressed in a thin hard line as if annoyed to realize he did say it. “Well then, if you’re not in a hurry, perhaps you could follow me to the neonatal intensive care. I need your perspective on a patient’s possible treatment.”

“Alright. Lead the way.”

A corner of his mouth lifts as he heads towards the elevator followed by the resident. Keeping the usual respectful distance between them, they talk briefly about the case on their way to the NICU. Once they arrive, the two look into the patient’s medical record and discuss the prognosis.

“The patient has become dependent on mechanical ventilation for too long, his body isn’t responding to the antibiotics and he might develop some form of RDS¹ soon.” He whispers looking at the tiny premature infant.

“Didn’t any other alternative treatment help?”

“No.”

Evelyn ponders for a moment, looking at the premature baby still struggling to breathe through even with the mechanical ventilator. “Maybe it’s time to talk to the parents and see if they authorize the prescription of steroids.”

“The patient is a week old. It’s too soon for such strong medication.” He argues.

“Is it though?”

His jaw clenches as he notices the stubbornness in her voice. “It _is_ too soon.” Dr. Ramsey snarled.

“Well, you wanted my perspective and this is it. But you don’t have to take my suggestion. It’s your patience, after all,” she affirms and steps away from the incubator.

A hint of a smile plays on his lips as he glances at her checking the patient’s medical record once again. To him, it was a pleasure to witness her growth as a professional and as a person. She certainly is no longer the insecure resident that arrived at Edenbrook two years ago.

Once they leave the NICU, Evelyn glances at her watch. With a curious look, he asks. “Do you have somewhere else to be, Rookie?”

She purses her lips. At this point, it became almost a reflex to avoid the urge to retort every time her boss uses that word to refer to her. “No. But my shift ended twenty minutes ago. I should go home now and order dinner on my way.”

“Just for yourself?”

“I guess so. My roommates still have a whole night of work and Raf will be busy until ten, so I’ll be on my own for now.”

“Raf?”

“Rafael Aveiro.”

“The name sounds familiar,” he comments.

“He used to be a paramedic. He often brought patients to us.”

“You must be really close to him to know when he’s busy.”

“It’s usually what happens when you’re dating someone.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “Are you dating the paramedic?”

“Rafael is no longer a paramedic, Dr. Ramsey, but yes. I am.”

As disappointment hits him, he looks downwards and silence settles between them. Evelyn always kept her relationship with him strictly professional, though they grew somewhat closer when she became a junior member of the Diagnostics team. He can’t say he ever disagreed with her posture and, as far as he knew, she did the same to everyone else in the hospital. “It’s for the best”, he used to tell himself. He just didn’t know how much time he’d have to endure lying to himself.

“If your friends are unavailable, you can join me for dinner. I was about to leave as well.”

“Don’t you have more important things to do than join one of the residents to have dinner?”

“I do. But I could use the time to restore my energies.”

“You’re not wrong about that. But I’m sure you’d rather go to a nice restaurant.”

“Not necessarily. But I would if you join me.”

“Dr. Ramsey—”

“I insist.”

“Oh, do you now?” She taunts then presses the button to call the elevator.

“Come on, Rookie…”

“Stop calling me Rookie and I’ll say yes.” She says, staring at him deadpan.

Once the doors open, she steps into the empty elevator and presses the button that will take her to the ground floor.

The doors are about to close when he places a hand to stop it from shutting and walks in. “Alright.” He clears his throat before speaking and lowers his voice. “Have dinner with me, Evelyn.”

“Fine.” She acquiesces. “Give me five minutes to change and I’ll meet you out front.”

“As you wish.”

Inside the small Caribbean restaurant, Evelyn smiles as the familiar smell of spices fills her lungs. She goes straight to her regular table by the window, while her boss takes the seat across her.

“You seem like you come here often.”

“Not as much as I want to,” she replies.

“We rarely can have everything we want, Evelyn.” He says, gazing at her.

“I suppose you’re right…” the resident answers with a sigh, looks out the window, and muses about what she truly wants to do and who she hopes to be with. Before she could lose herself in daydreams, a waiter approaches.

“Good evening. I’ll be waiting on your table tonight.” The man hands them the menu. “Should I give you a minute?”

“I’m ready to order, but if you need a few more minutes—”

“Since you’re more familiar with the food here, I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

“Okay.” She turns to the waiter. “We’re having tostones² and pastelon³.”

“Very well. I’ll be right back with your appetizers.”

“Thank you.” She smiles politely.

“Can I know what you just ordered?”

“Trust me. You’re going to like it.”

“I’ve heard that enough in my life to know the outcome can be disappointing.” He grumbles.

“I guess you should have remembered that before choosing to have 'whatever I have’, Ethan.” She smirks.

And despite her insolence, he smiles.

Along the dinner, the two doctors had a rather casual conversation about different subjects, things unrelated to work. And it feels surprisingly refreshing. As they ask for the check, the waiter comes back with two portions of flan.

“Compliments of the chef.” The waiter smiles. “He told me to send his regards to Rafael and bring dessert as a way to thank you for looking after the twins.”

“How nice of him! Thank you. Send my best to Enrico and his beautiful family.” Evelyn beams.

“Of course. Have a good night.”

Once the waiter leaves, Dr. Ramsey glances at Evelyn.

“You do come here often. You even know the chef and his family.”

“He’s Rafael’s neighbor. We babysat his twins while he went out with his wife to celebrate their anniversary.”

“Huh…” He scowls.

“What?”

“Nothing… Didn’t the paramedic—”

“He has a name, doctor,” she cuts him off.

“Sure… Didn’t he used to have a girlfriend?”

“You took your time to remember who he is, but remembered he had a girlfriend before me. Interesting…”

“It just came to me. She visited him at the hospital after the attack.”

“Yep. They broke up that same day.” Evelyn makes a face then lets out a snort.

“Something funny?”

“It’s just weird to see you engaging in Edenbrook gossip.”

“And I clearly only know old news since I didn’t know you have a boyfriend.”

“I don’t talk about my personal life at work, Dr. Ramsey.”

“I can see that,” he jeers.

She narrows her eyes. “Is something bothering you, Dr. Ramsey?”

“Yes, there is.” A muscle in his jaw twitches.

“Then say it, doctor!”

For a long minute, they throw icy glares at each other but don’t say a word. If she’s being honest, she knows exactly what this is about. She simply chose to ignore it and avoid a scandal. It isn’t the first time he has shown a little too much interest in her personal life. And before she could say something she might regret, she picks up her messenger bag and stands up. “Have a good night, Dr. Ramsey.”

With that, she storms out of the restaurant. It doesn’t take long until he’s following her.

“Evelyn!”

She ignores him and keeps walking.

“Evelyn!”

Still ignoring him, she fishes her phone out of her bag and begins typing a text. She is about to hit send when a hand pulls her by the arm. When she turns to look at him, it takes all her inner strength not to slap his face. “Let go of me, Dr. Ramsey,” she hisses.

“No.”

“Let go of me or you’re going to return to work with a black eye.”

“Do it!” He snaps.

Evelyn shoves him and as he releases her arm, she steps away. “What the hell do you want from me, Ramsey?!”

“I want you!” He yells.

“Have you lost your mind? You’re my boss!”

“I don’t care!”

Her eyes widen in surprise.

”Can’t you see this distance I’ve put between us from the very beginning is because I want you even though I shouldn’t?”

“You cannot be serious…” She shakes her head.

“I am! I want you!” He pauses, trying to gauge her reaction before he continued. “I’ve been trying to keep this to myself, but I can’t do it anymore. I want you, Evelyn.”

“But I don’t want you!”

And just like that, he freezes.

“I am not playing hard to get and I don’t care if you sent any mixed signs to me. I have no intention to have anything but a professional relationship with you.”

“I—” His brows furrow as he takes in her words. “Is it because of this boyfriend?”

“Oh my fucking god… Are you kidding me?! No!” She bellows. “I don’t feel anything for you! I never did!”

Suddenly, everything makes sense. Her cold demeanor, her stubbornness, her need to defy him. It was never attraction. It was a mere reaction to any unwanted advances.

“I didn’t mean to shout all of that, but—”

“Don’t.” He raises his hand, gesturing for her to stop talking. “You don’t have to apologize for this. It won’t happen again.”

Unsure of what to say next, she stares at him in confusion when her phone rings.

As he sees the ID caller on her phone, he steps back and grimaces. “I’ll see you on Monday, Dr. Bennington.”

Evelyn watches her boss walk away then looks back at the missed call on her phone. Taking a deep breath, she taps the screen to return it.

“Hey, beautiful.”

She smiles weakly at the sound of Rafael’s voice. “Hey…”

“I thought you weren’t going to pick up and I was going to leave you a message. Are you okay?”

“I am now.”

______

¹ Respiratory Distress Syndrome: common lung disease in premature infants.

² Sliced plantains coated in batter and fried, served with a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, and other spices.

³ Puerto Rican version of lasagna made from fried meat seasoned with oregano and cumin and mixed with sofrito, olives, and tomato sauce


End file.
